The Tigers have been in the hunt for a replacement for Tommy Elphick, who was recalled by Aston Villa at the start of January.

Matthew Connolly, who has fallen down the pecking order at Premier League side Cardiff, has emerged on their radar and Hull have held talks with him.

The 31-year-old hasn’t played for the Bluebirds this season and could be set for a loan move to the KCOM Stadium to get some first-team action. There is believed to be other Championship interest in him as well.

Connolly only played four times for Cardiff last season under Neil Warnock as they were promoted to the Premier League. He still has a year left to run on his contract at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Connolly started his career at Arsenal but never broke into their senior side. Instead, he enjoyed loan spells at AFC Bournemouth and Colchester United before he was snapped up by QPR in 2008.

He went onto play over 100 games for the London side and was part of their side who won promotion to the top flight in 2011. Connolly then spent time on loan at Reading in the 2011/12 season and helped them get promoted from the Championship.

Connolly joined Cardiff in 2012 and has been there ever since, albeit for a brief loan spell at Watford 2015 in which he was part of another promotion winning team.

He has got bags of experience in the second tier so could be a shrewd signing for the in-form Tigers.